Behind every policy, every program, and every promise our government makes are the people who make it all happen — the federal workers who keep this country running. From the VA nurses who care for our veterans to the analysts who safeguard our national security, these public servants do their jobs with integrity and dedication, often under intense pressure and constant attack.

For years, Washington politicians have vilified federal employees to score political points. Under Donald Trump, entire agencies were gutted, expertise was ignored, and morale was shattered. But let’s be clear: you can’t shrink government into dysfunction and then claim it doesn’t work. We need to rebuild trust, capacity, and respect for the people who serve our country every day.

I’ve spent 15 years working alongside federal employees across agencies — from Medicare to FDA to the Health Insurance Marketplace and the VA. I’ve seen firsthand how deeply they care about the work they do and the people they serve. Even when Washington fails them, they show up every day to keep this country moving. It’s time their government showed up for them.

I’ll fight to protect and empower the federal workforce by:

• Restoring respect and stability for federal workers by ending political attacks, hiring freezes, and retaliatory purges.

• Ensuring fair pay and benefits that keep up with inflation and reflect the essential work public servants do.

• Protecting collective bargaining and union rights for federal employees.

• Strengthening whistleblower protections so those who call out waste, fraud, or abuse aren’t punished for doing the right thing.

• Rebuilding agency capacity and expertise after years of attrition, hiring freezes, and politicized leadership.

• Modernizing hiring practices to make it easier for young talent and underrepresented groups to enter public service.

• Preventing partisan interference by reinforcing the merit-based civil service system and insulating career staff from political retaliation.

• Investing in professional development, technology, and innovation to make government more efficient, agile, and accountable to the people it serves.

• Expanding telework and flexible work options to improve retention, productivity, and accessibility — especially for workers with disabilities and caregiving responsibilities.

• Protecting retirement security and healthcare benefits for current and retired federal employees.

A government that works for the people starts with protecting the people who make government work. When we value public service, we don’t just strengthen our institutions — we strengthen democracy itself.